Men’s Soccer Strikes First, Falls to Lesley in Opener

WESTON, Mass. – The Pride took a lead in the second half, but Lesley scored twice in less than three minutes to spoil the Regis men's soccer team's home opener, 2-1, Friday afternoon in a nonconference match at Regis Stadium.

Regis goalkeeper Ivan Ramirez (San Juan, P.R.) stopped five of Lesley's seven shots on goal. Cesar Da Silva (Boca Raton, Fla.) had three of his four shots of the day on net, including the lone Pride goal of the game.

Even though the Pride outshot the Lynx in the first half, Lesley goalkeeper David Crutchfield (Shrewsbury, Mass.) was able to keep the ball from the back of the net, making three saves.

After feeling the other team out through the first half, both teams were able to strike in the second, beginning with Da Silva's goal off a free kick.

The Pride had a chance to score again off a penalty kick taken by Ken Niyonzima (Dracut, Mass.), but Crutchfield tipped the ball away by jumping to his left side.

Lesley was held scoreless until the 80^th minute when Jack Wadleigh (Glastonbury, Conn.) tucked the ball into the back of the net off his right foot. Shane Rockenbach (Long Beach, Calif.) followed Wadleigh's goal with one of his own 2:58 later for the game-winning goal.

Crutchfield was outstanding in net with eight saves on the day out of the nine Pride shots on net. The Pride outshot the Lynx, 23-10, as well as led in corner kicks, 8-2.  The Pride also controlled 59 percent of the possession in the game.

Lesley (1-0) will play Curry College on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 1 p.m. before playing another Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) school in Suffolk on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Regis (0-1) will be off until Saturday, Sept. 7, when they travel to take on Emerson at 1 p.m. They then face their second NESCAC opponent of the year when they take on Babson Saturday, Sept. 14 at Regis Stadium starting at 3 p.m.